Injector controlling means



Sept. 13, 1932. 1. P. PEDRICK 1,877,624

INJECTOR CONTROLLING MEANS Filed Feb 21", 1931 IFOM F 8764M (#587 EX/M usr 70 lM/ENOR STEAM dam IV/TA ESS:

Patented Sept. 13, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE I IRENEE P. PEDRIcK, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR r WILLIAM SELLERS & ooMPANY, INcoRPoRArED, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A

CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA INJECTOR CONTROLLING MEANS Application filed February 21, 1931. Serial 517,477.

This invention relates to an improved means for controlling the supply of steam to the low pressure side of a duplex injector. Specifically the invention constitutes an improved controlling means of the type illustrated in Patent Number 1,563,196, issued to Strickland L. Kneass on November 24, 1925.

The broad object of the present invention is the provision of a controlling means of simple structure and great regularity of action through which steam at substantially constant low pressure may be'supplied to the low pressure side of an injector irrespective of the condition of operation of the engine supplied by the boiler with which it is associated; for example, if the injector is applied to a locomotive, the injector will be continuously and uniformly supplied whether the locomotive be standing, drifting or working.

In this case the low pressure side of the injector is supplied during the working by the exhaust from the cylinders and when the locomotive is idle by properly throttled live steam from the boiler.

a Detailed objects of the invention will be better understood from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which the figure is a ver- I tical section through the improvedcontrolling means.

The controlling means consists of a main casing 2 which supports the various elements and which is preferably formed as a casting containing suitable passages, chambers, and

the like as will be later pointed out. An intake passage 4 is provided to receive steam at low pressure, for example from the cylinder exhaust of a locomotive in which case there is preferably provided in the line a de- Vice for smoothing out the pulsations such as is illustrated in the Kneass patentreferred to above. An exit passage 6 communicates with the intake of the low pressure side of a duplex injector. f r

In the top of the casing are two openings 8 and 10, the former receiving a" bushing 11 held in position and surmounted by a bonnet 12. A hollow downwardly extending spindle 0 14 is carried by the top of the bonnet, having formed at its upper end an enlarged air or liquid, for example oil, chamber 16 closed by asuitable removable cap or air chamber. The

- lower end of the spindle supports a piston 18,

above'which the walls of the spindle are per- 7 forated as indicated at 20. A movable valve assembly 22 is provided with a cylinder 24 slidable over the piston and closed at its upper end about the spindle by packing means indicated at 26. The walls of this cylinder have restricted clearance with the piston so that vwhen thev cylinder 24 is supplied with oil or other liquid, a dash-pot action results pre venting rapid upward and downward'movements of the valve assembly 22. Instead of providing the slight clearance between the plston and cylinder walls, the piston may have a close sliding fit therewith, being provided with suitable holes for the slow passage of the viscous liquid. Of course various liquids or even air might form the retarding '270 fluid, the passages by or through the piston being formed accordingly, If liquids are used replenishment of the cylinder is effected from the supply in chamber 16. It will'also be obvious that the cylinder may be fixed to the casing and the piston carried by the valve assembly. i v I A spring 28 reactingbetween the top of the bonnet 12 and a flange'carried by the valve: assembly tends to force the latter to its'lowermost position with its hollow stem 30 engaging a stop 32 having openings 34in itstop so that steam may enter beneath and'within the stem 30. The bushing 11 has a cylin drical in ide surface 36 in which slides a piston 38 formed in the assembly 22. This cylindrical surface and the cylindrical sur face 40 guiding the annular cylindrical valve 44 serve to guide the assembly for movement in a right line. A port is provided at 42 which communicates with the V passage 4. When the assembly is in its lowest position there is free communication between the passages 4 and 6 through the casing; as the assembly moves upwardly the port 42 is more 99 andmore cut off whereby a throttling action occurs on the incoming steam, until when the valve closes the port the incoming steam is shut off entirely. A V Y s r An outlet passage 46 permits the discharge 109 to atmosphere of any steam leaking from between 38 and 36.

It will be noted that the stem 30 extends into a chamber 52 in the bottom of the casing, passing with clearance through an openin 50.

assing now to a consideration of the parts associated with opening 10, it will be noted that this opening is surmounted by a bonnet 54 to the interior of which live steam isadmitted through passage 56, a perforated plate 58 in this passage serving to screen the incoming steam. A ribbed valvemember 60, provided with a small passage 64 is, slidable in a cylinder 68 engaging its upper end, and is arranged to close an opening 70 when in its lowermost position by engagement with a seat surrounding the opening. Above the valve 60 is-a valve 72 engaging a conical seat 74 at the upper end of cylinder 68. Above the last mentioned valve is a coupling nead provided with a passage 76 communicating with the steam chest of the engine, this head being provided with stop fingers 78 arranged to limit upward movement of valve 72. A bypass 8O furnishes communication between the cylinder 68 and the interior of the casing 2 when valve 72 is lifted from its'seat.

Steam entering opening 70 discharges through passage 82 closely adjacent to and aligned with a tube 84 having ports 86 which may be more or less closed by an adjustable piston valve 88 carried by a screw 90. The valve88 is provided with a longitudinally extending and sidewise opening passage 92 permitting a flow of steam from the interior of tube 84 through passage 94 to chamber 52.

A nipple 96 communicates with the interior of cylinder 36 being provided with a side opening 98 with which the funnel 100 may be aligned by turning for the introduction of a solvent for removing carbon. Turning of the funnel effects closure of the opening.

Assuming that the engine is operating, the parts will be in the positions illustrated in thedrawing, port 42 beingopen owing to the action of spring 28 and the weight of the assembly 22. This downward pressure is opposed by the exhaustpressure on the bottom face of piston 88. If it happens that the exhaust pressure rises above a suitable amount, the pressure under piston 38 will rise and the piston will be raised until the downward thrust of the spring 28 is overcome. The valve assembly 22 will then move upwardly compressing spring 28 to a greater or less extent and correspondingly restricting the port 42. The incoming steam is thus V artially throttled so that the pressure is reduced, the eXit pressure being thus maintained at a substantially constant value. *Movements of the valve assembly are damped by the dash-pot arrangement and thus fluctuations such as might occur upon rapid vibrations of the assembly caused by the pulsations of the exhaust steam are prevented. The equilibrium position is thus smoothly attained and maintained. At the same time, that is, during engine operation, valve 7 2 is held seated by steam chest pressure and valve 60 closes opening 70. At this time by reason of passages 64 and 66 the pressure above the valve is-eq ual to that in passage82 sothat 'the' valve is maintained downwardly upon its seat.

If the flow of steam to the steam chest is cutoffthe pressure seating valve 72 is removed permitting the valve to rise thus relieving the pressure above valve 60. The latter also rises under .the pressure of the live steam entering'at 56. The live steam will nowpass through opening 70 and tube 82 into tube 84 and steam will circulate through openings 64 and 66, past seat 'Z-t and through passage into the conduit. The throttling action of openings 64 and 66 insures lower pressure above valve 60 than below it and it accordingly remains fully opened due to the live steam pressure on the underside of its upper end'which is of greater area than its lower end.

Thegreater portion of the steam escapes fromtube 84 through the openings 86, being more or less throttled by adjustment of valve 88, and thence to the injector. Part, however, passes at highpressure through passages 92 in the valve and through conduit 94 into chamber 52 where" iteXerts a pressure beneath stem 30 raising. it so that valve 44 closes port 42 thus preventing areverse flow of steam through .the valve. Upward movement is at this time only opposed by the relatively light spring 28 and the weight'of assembly 22. The dashpot arrangement smoothes this actionof the valve assembly 22 as well as its othermovements. Upon the assumption of these final positions by the various parts, the injector is supplied with throttled live steam 'at' about the same pressure as the exhaust steam used during operation of the engine.

T/Vhen steam is again supplied to the steam chest, it will be clear that the parts again assume their original positions.

'l/Vhat I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. Means for continuously supplyinglow pressure steam to an injector including valve means governing the fiowof steam from a low pressure supply to the injector, other valve means governingthe flow of steam from a high pressure supply to the injector, means controlling the operations of said valve means to insure a flowfrom the low pressure supply whenavailable and atother times a flow from the high pressure'supply, and means .for' aperiodically damping the movements of the first mentioned valve means.

2. Means for continuously supplying low pressure'steamto an injector including valve means governing the flow of steam from a low pressure supply to the injector, other valve means governing the fiow of steam from a high pressure supply to the injector, means controlling the operations of said valve means to insure a flow from the low pressure supply when available and at other times a flow from the high pressure supply, and a liquid dash-pot tor damping the movements of the first mentioned valve means. 7

3. Means for continuously supplying low pressure steam to an injector including valve means governing the flow of steam from a low pressure supply to the injector, other valve means governing the fiow of steam from a high pressure supply to the injector, and means controlling the operation of said valve means to insure a flow from the low pressure supply when available and at other times a fiow from the high pressure supply, said controlling means including a piston connected to close the first valve means when acted upon by steam flowing through the second valve means.

l. Means for continuously supplying low pressure steam to an injector including valve means governing the flow of steam from a low pressure supply to the injector, other valve means governing the flow of steam from high pressure supply to the injector, a tube receivin the discharge from the secondvalve means and having a side discharge opening, an adjustable piston Valve for partially covering said opening to throttle said disi'harge, and means controlling the operations of said valve means to insure a flow from the low pressure supply when available and at other times a flow from the high pressure supply through said throttling means.

5. Means for continuously supplying low pressure steam to an injector including valve means governing the flow of steam from a low pressure supply to the injector, other valve means governing the flow of steam from a high pressure supply to the injector, a tube receiving the discharge from the second valve means and having a side discharge opening, an adjustable piston valve for partially covering said opening to throttle said discharge, and means controlling the operations of said valve means to insure a fiow from the low pressure supply when available and at other times a flow from the high pressure supply, said controlling means including connections for closing the first valve means operated by ;team flowing through the second valve means and before being throttled at said opening.

6. Means for continuously supplying low pressure steam to an injector including valve means governing the flow of steam from a low pressure supply to the injector, other valve means governing the fiow of steam from a high pressure supply to the injector, a tube receiving the discharge from the second valve means and having a side discharge opening, an adjustable piston valve for parti- -a piston connected to close thefirst valve 7 "means and arranged to be acted upon by steam flowing through the second valve means and before being throttled at said openin Y '7. Means forcontinuouslysupplying low pressure steam to an injector including valve means governing the flow of steam from a low pressure supply to the injector, other valve means governing the flow of steam from a high pressure supply to the injector, means for throttling the discharge from the second valve means, and means controlling the operation of said valve means to insure a flow from the low pressure supply when available and at other times a How from the high pressure supply through said throttling means, said controlling means includ ing a piston connected to close the first valve means and arranged to be acted upon by steam fiowing through the second valve means. A

pressure steam to an injector including valve means govermng the flow of steam from a low pressure supply to the in ector, other valve means governing the flow of steam operated by steam flowing through the sec- 1' end valve means and before being throttled by said throttling means. r

9. Means for continuously supplying low pressure steam to an injector including valve means governing the flow of steam from a 11;

low pressure supply to the injector,rother valve means governing the flow of steam from a high pressure supplyto the injector, means for throttling the discharge from the second valve means, and means controlling the operation of said valve means to insure a. flow from the low pressure supply when available and at other times a flow from the high pressure supply, said controlling means including a piston connected to close the first valve means and arranged to be acted upon by steam flowing through the second valve means and before being throttled by said throttling means. 7

10. Means for continuously supplying low i is , a 8. Means for continuously supplying low 7 ion ios

pressure steam to an injector including valve means governing the flow of steam from a low pressure supply to the injector, other valve means governing the flow of steam from a high pressure supply to the injector, and means controlling the operation of said valve -means to insure a flow from the low pressure supply when available and at other times a flow from the high pressure supply, said sec- 0nd named valve means including a piston valve controlling flow from the high pressure supply, a cylinder in which the piston valve is movable, a valve normally held by high pressure steam to close one end of the cylinder and a passage through which low pressure steam passes between said valve and piston valve to hold the latter in closed position, said piston valve being acted upon by high pressure steam whereby openingof the valve normally closing the cylinder permits opening of the piston valve to allow passage of steam irom the high pressure supply to the injector.

11. Means for continuously supplying low pressure steam to an injector including valve means governing the flow of steam from a low pressure supply to the injector, other valve means governing the flow of steam from a high pressure supply to the injector,

'3 means controlling the operations of said valve means to insure a flow from the low pressure supply when available and at other times a flow from the high pressure supply, said first valve means including a piston acted upon by steam from the low pressure supply to urge the first valve means to closed position, and means for damping the movements of the first mentioned valve means.

12. Means for continuously supplying low 40 pressure steam to an injector including valve means governing the fiow of steam from a low pressure supply to the injector, other valve means governing the flow of steam from a high pressure supply to the injector,

means controlling the operations of said valve means to insure a flow from the low pressure supply when available and at other times a flow from the high pressure supply, said first valve means including a piston acted upon by steam from the low pressure supply to urge the first valve means to closed position, and a dash-pot for damping the movements of the first mentioned valve means.

In testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set my hand, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on this 19th day of February, 1931.

IRENEE P. PEDRIGK. 

